The present invention relates to an air conditioner which permits to distributes drain water onto an indoor heat exchanger to humidify the air in a room, wherein the drain water was generated by an outdoor heat exchanger at the time of a heating operation.
The air conditioner of the type described above is shown in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 48-29715 published Sept. 10, 1973. The conventional air conditioner disclosed in the Japanese publication directs drain water generated by an outdoor heat exchanger to a water distribution pan, which is disposed on top of an indoor heat exchanger, through conduit pipe to produce heat by the indoor heat exchanger. The drain water heated by the indoor heat exchanger is evaporated to flow into a room. The water distribution pan has a water absorption material therein so that the water is distributed evenly and efficiently to the entire portion of the water distributor pan. However, if the drain water contains a dust or other foreign particles, a water distribution function of the pan is deteriolated. Further, the conduit pipe has a control valve for controlling a flow rate of the drain water in the pipe to thereby control the flow of drain water to the indoor heat exchanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,822 discloses a humidifier having a water distribution pan for providing a flow of water to a saturated water pad. The water distribution pan includes a number of apertures in the bottom with a channel leading from each aperture to a reservoir at one end of the pan. The reservoir is defined by sidewalls of the pan and a dam in the pan between the sidewalls so that water spills over the dam and flows through the channels and drains out through the apertures.
However, in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,822 water does not always spill over immediately when the level of water becomes higher than the height of the dam due to a surface tension of water and, accordingly, it is rather difficult to proceed a humidifying operation immediately. Further, if the water distribution pan is more or less declined, water flows from the declined lowest portion, resulting in a failure in providing an even distribution of water.